BA (Hons) Design Management and Cultures

Places available 2018/19This course has places available. You can apply for this course via the ‘How to apply’ section on this page. For a full list of UAL courses open for 2018/19 entry, visit the Clearing page.

Study design management and global cultures from the unique perspective of a communication, design and media institution.
BA (Hons) Design Management and Cultures is a practice-based course where you will apply critical thinking and design research methods to a range of projects and collaborations, that address social, business and environmental needs.

Reasons to apply

Study business and management in a leading institution located in central London, with strong links to the creative and cultural industries.

An emphasis on socially engaged design and real world projects.

A practice-based course informed by theory drawn from a range of design, business and humanities disciplines and delivered through projects, crits and collaborations.

A focus on the role of design within the creative and cultural industries and the networks, cultures and contexts that give design its multiple meanings.

A course with design thinking at the core of subject delivery. Design thinking involves an approach to innovation and problem solving that takes into account ‘the needs of people, the possibilities of technology and the requirements for business success’ (Tim Brown, IDEO).

Open Days

Early Bird Clearing Open Days for 2018 entry

If you are interested in starting at LCC this September, visit one of our Early Bird Clearing Open Days for more information:Tuesday 17 JulyThursday 26 July

Open Days for 2019 entry

If you are thinking of applying for this course starting September 2019, the next Open Day will be bookable shortly.

Content

BA (Hons) Design Management and Cultures is structured to provide you with an introductory year where you gain the essential skills and knowledge practices required for your discipline.

This includes an introduction to design management and the creative and cultural industries and an exploration of design cultures and its relationship to a variety of themes – global, commercial, technological, subcultural and institutional.

The course supports the development of critical thinking and writing skills to express yourself, technical and design skills to communicate your ideas and management skills to locate them in the public realm.

In year two, you will undertake a collaborative project with other courses and external institutions. This will place an increased emphasis on participatory and collaborative design approaches, global perspectives, research methods and the development of your personal vision and career objectives.

In the third year, you will complete an extended piece of written work and embark on an individual major project, which you will promote using your knowledge of marketing communications.

Distinctive features

The course features distinctive to help ensure that we are offering a unique, exclusive and exciting experience for you, including:

Creative practice – Unlike other design management courses, which are mainly theoretical and taught through lectures and seminars, BA (Hons) Design Management and Cultures combines creative practice with academic study and offers a creative approach to the study of a design business, global cultures and histories.

The inclusion of 'Cultures' in the title is significant because it refers to the many different understandings of culture that are addressed within your learning. We take a broad view of design management and cultures that include an analysis of global cultures, technological cultures, subcultures and institutional cultures. Students are introduced to culture as a way of life, as a form of creative practice and as a dynamic and socially engaged process.

Student Exchanges/ Erasmus - The course has a strong global emphasis through its cross-cultural approach to course content, projects and international partnerships. You will have the opportunity to participate in the Erasmus Programme, which is a European student exchange programme offering students the possibility of studying in another European country for one or two terms. We have an Erasmus agreement with the Cultural Management course at Metropolia University, Helsinki and are negotiating different modes of exchange with Alto in Finland, Paris College of Art and Parsons Paris. You will also be encouraged to undertake online collaborations with students at design institutions in other countries.

Projects – There is an emphasis on socially engaged design and real world projects. For example, a project could involve collaboration with an organisation like Age UK. You would work to a brief given by the charity, which would be set in context by tutors.

Collaboration is at the heart of BA (Hons) Design Management and Cultures. You will gain an understanding of working as part of a team, which will prepare you for future roles which could include working with in-house or freelance design practitioners and external companies and institutions.

The three key strands of the course are Design Management, Design Cultures and Design Practice:

Design Management

Business Skills: cultural and creative industries; business models and organisational structures; entrepreneurship and innovation; resource management and planning; costing, pricing and selling; corporate social responsibility; leadership

Marketing and Branding: marketing, events, PR and social media; trend forecasting and futurising

Design Cultures

Contextual and Theoretical Studies

Year 1 – introduction to histories, theories and debates relevant to design management and cultures, writing workshops and research methods.

Year 2 – your knowledge and understanding of the historical, social, theoretical and cultural developments of spatial design and visual communications are broadened and deepened by focusing on two specific options.

Year 3 – you will complete an individual and extended piece of writing of 8/10,000 words, or a shorter piece of 4/5,000 words plus a global design case study.

Research methods – You will gain familiarity with a variety of conceptual and theoretical frameworks to address current design issues and social meanings in a range of contexts. This could include critical thinking; design thinking; content analysis; semiotics; visual ethnography; discourse analysis; case studies; sociological and ethnographical approaches; political economy; interviews, focus groups; qualitative and quantitative analysis; participant observation; psychoanalysis; oral histories.

Design Practice

The following list includes the applications/skills you will engage with, dependent on the project briefs set:

How is the course taught?

Through projects, workshops, tutorials, visits and critiques you will receive a creative and flexible learning experience; using multiple platforms, including blogging and social media sites.

Live and collaborative projects, competitions, work-related and off-site learning, blogs, wikis, the use of a variety of research methods including ethnography, working with archives, artefacts and organisations provide opportunities for learning.

In addition, issues of sustainability, ethics and social engagement are treated as important aspects of study throughout the three years and are embedded in all units.

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Course dates

Autumn term:

Monday 24 September – Friday 7 December 2018

Spring term:

Monday 7 January – Friday 15 March 2019

Summer term:

Monday 15 April – Friday 21 June 2019

Course units

In common with all courses at the University of the Arts London, this course is credit rated. Years 1 and 2 must be passed to enter into Year 3. Your degree is attained through full completion of the third year. Your degree classification is determined by the relative level of grades attained in the third year.

Year 1

Units summary:

Introduction to Design Management and Cultures (20 credits)

Contextual and Theoretical Studies 1 (20 credits)

Creative Industries and Economy 1 (20 credits)

Design Management 1 (20 credits)

Projects and Practices 1 (40 credits)

Year 2

Units summary:

Collaborative Project (20 credits)

Contextual and Theoretical Studies 2 (20 credits)

Marketing Communications and Cultures (20 credits)

Design Management 2 (20 credits)

Projects and Practices 2 (40 credits)

Year 3

Units summary

Major Project (60 credits)

Professional Practice (20 credits)

Contextual and Theoretical Studies 3 (40 credits) or

Contextual and Theoretical Studies 3 (20 credits) and

Global Design Case Study (20 credits)

Course structure

The information outlined is an indicative structure of the course. Whilst we will aim to deliver the course as described on this page, there may be situations where it is desirable or necessary for the University to make changes in course provision, for example, because of regulatory requirements or operational efficiencies, before or after enrolment. If this occurs, we will communicate all major changes to all applicants and students who have either applied or enrolled on the course.

Please note that due to staff research agreements or availability, not all of the optional modules listed may be available every year.

In addition, the provision of course options which depend upon the availability of specialist teaching, or on a placement at another institution, cannot be guaranteed. Please check this element of the course with the course team before making a decision to apply.

Webpage updates

We will update this webpage from time to time with new information as it becomes available. In the meantime, if you have any questions, use our online course enquiry form.

Go to 'Apply' from the UCAS home page, where you will be able to register and create a password that gives you unique access as you complete your application form. London College of Communication (LCC) courses are listed under University of the Arts London.

Deferrals

Deferring an Offer

If you are offered a place for 2018/19 but wish to defer to 2019/20, information on how to do this and who to contact can be found in your offer letter.

International applicants will have to pay a deposit in order to defer.

In all cases, deferred places will be held for one year.

Making a Deferred Application (during 2018/19 for entry in 2019/20)

Home/EU applicants are permitted to make a deferred application. International applicants are not permitted to make a deferred application.

Entry requirements

Home/EU/International

The course team welcomes applicants from a broad range of backgrounds from all over the world. The course attracts students who apply directly from A-level (or equivalent) or from Foundation Diploma in Art and Design, or other art or design courses, as well as mature students who may have previously worked in industry.

Or

Alternatively, you will be considered if you have achieved a minimum of 64 UCAS tariff points from one of the following qualifications:

BTEC Extended Diploma

UAL Extended Diploma in Art and Design

Access to HE Diploma

International Baccalaureate Diploma

Equivalent EU or Non-EU qualifications

Additionally, you will have achieved passes at grade C or above in at least three GCSE subjects including English.

If you are applying on the basis of your previous experience, you should apply as normal via UCAS. You will then be guided by the admissions team on next steps of the AP(e)L process, through either Accreditation of Experiential Learning (AEL) or Accreditation of Certificated Learning (ACL).

If you have successfully completed year one of a degree course at another institution and wish to continue your studies at LCC, you can identify the point of entry as year two on your application, and consideration will be given by the course admissions tutor.

Language Requirements (International/EU)

All classes are conducted in English. If English is not your first language you will be asked to provide evidence of your English language ability when you enrol.

IELTS 6.0 (or equivalent) is required, with a minimum of 5.5 in each of the four skills.

Student selection - what do we look for?

As part of your application, you will be asked to submit a full portfolio of work. We make our offers based on the strength of the whole application, and therefore don’t routinely invite applicants to interview.

The course admissions tutors will review the following key elements when making a decision on your suitability to join the course:

Most importantly they will review your personal statement and the quality of the uploaded portfolio

They will consider your qualifications (or projected results)

They will review your academic or personal references

International applicants may be invited to interview in person at LCC, or via Skype if overseas or unable to attend.

Personal statement advice

This is an important part of your application and should demonstrate to the team that you are interested in the subject and that you have thought carefully about why you want to study on this course.

You can demonstrate this through your previous work experience or study, personal experience and your ambitions for personal development as a student at LCC.

You should ensure it is written clearly, and free of any spelling mistakes. It is your chance to impress the team by demonstrating your appreciation of what the course can offer you and how you feel it will help you in the future.

State what you personally would bring to the course, and explain what motivates you to learn, explore and experiment.

Portfolio advice

Your portfolio of work is the most important part of your application, and you must clearly evidence development work as well as work from completed projects.

You are required to present a portfolio with a maximum of 20 images that you consider would help support your application.

Applicants from non-design backgrounds can include:

Descriptions of any professional projects.

Documentation of work where possible including reports, presentations or research projects for which you have been responsible.

Please note: If uploading any text examples as part of your portfolio, they should be saved as an image and then uploaded, or alternatively, the text can be pasted into an image title text box.

Selection Criteria

The portfolio, along with the details on your UCAS application (including the academic reference and your personal statement) will be used by the admissions tutors to assess your suitability against the following criteria:

Research and its application (including images from sketchbooks): evidence of investigation and use of appropriate resources.

Materials, media exploration and experimentation; experimentation and testing of materials to achieve outcomes.

Contextual awareness and its influence on the portfolio; understanding and application of subject knowledge and context.

Referral to alternative UAL courses

The University operates a cross-referral system, where applicants can be considered for and offered a place on an alternative course if the admissions tutor feels they are more suited to that course. If you wish to opt out of the cross-referral process you can do so at the application form stage.

What happens next?

We invite all offer holders to come to LCC, from January onwards, to attend one of our Offer Holder events. Offer holders will have the chance to meet the team, find out more about the course, and see our diverse and vibrant student community in action.

Successful applicants will be guided through the rest of our admissions stages and towards enrolment on the course.

Fees and funding

Home / EU fee

£9,250 (2018/19).

Tuition fees for undergraduate degree courses have been set at £9,250 per year for full-time study. This applies from the 2018/19 academic year, subject to changes in the law. Tuition fees may increase in future years for new and continuing students, in line with an inflationary amount determined by government. Please visit our Undergraduate tuition fees page for more information.

International fee

£19,350 (2018/19).

Additional costs

In addition to tuition fees you are very likely to incur additional costs such as travel expenses and the cost of materials. Please read the information on our additional costs page.

Accommodation

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Career paths

BA (Hons) Design Management and Cultures encourages the development of innovative design thinking and the exploration of your own creative vision. We aim to prepare you to graduate as active creatives who will use design as a driver for positive cultural, social, business and environmental change.

UAL Jobs and Careers

UAL has a number of services and networks that hold regular workshops and careers fairs developed to help you establish and promote your career in the arts, design, or media. These include:

Careers and Employability are the University's dedicated careers and professional practice service. We help UAL students and graduates embark on their professional futures in the creative industries, find jobs, set up a business, and sell their work. We run events throughout the year on all aspects of the career journey.

Creative Opportunities jobs board helps graduates and students find job and internship opportunities and connect with organisations and companies in the creative sector. We post jobs and paid internships, part-time work, freelance contracts and full-time opportunities.